Chapter 682: As a Son of Man

The four words of his father's serious illness are like a bolt from the blue for Zhang Yue. Over the years, although his father Zhang Zuo is often not around, he can always feel that kind of concern all the time. Compared with his mother Sun's nagging to express his love, his father Zhang Zhuo is not a person of many words, and most of the time he just quietly takes care of everything in the dark to sweep away those worries for him. Although the world often only knows him Zhang Yue, and rarely knows his father's surname, it is his indispensable close relative.

At this moment, he jumped out of bed with a spirit, grabbed a piece of clothing and hurried out the door with his shoes. Cui's mother couldn't stop her, and seeing that Du Juan also got up in a hurry, she hurriedly stepped forward to serve and dress, and comforted her again: "The third master has a good body since he was a child, and he has few headaches and brain fever in Dalian since he was a child, so he will be fine." Besides, there are many famous doctors in the capital, and with the face of the British public, even if you invite the imperial doctor, you will never be fine......"

"If there was no big event, I wouldn't have sent the executive's family to come over in person!" Zhang Yue can rush out directly in anger, but Du Juan can't go out to meet people in disheveled clothes, so he got dressed neatly and went to the dresser, picked up the comb and combed the scattered hair, and tied it in a bun in three or two clicks, and said in his mouth, "Everyone knows the temper of my father-in-law, and I don't want to alarm others because of my own affairs, if it is not a critical moment, I will never be so ......."

Speaking of this, Du Juan, who was reaching out to the red lacquer makeup box on the side to get the hairpin, suddenly stopped the movements in his hand, turned his head and asked Cui's mother: "By the way, is the executive's family alone, or did he bring someone else?" Who is the person who is coming? ”

Cui's mother hurriedly replied: "There are two people here. Another person next to the executive's house was wearing a felt hat, and because of his head down, I couldn't see it clearly in a hurry, as if he was a little faced. ”

Originally, he just asked casually because of some doubts in his heart, but when he heard this, Du Juan suddenly frowned. The stakes are very high, since even the housekeeper Gao Quan has come over in person, it should always be an old man who has to be properly used in the family, and it is impossible to pick a new person to follow him. Besides, a few days ago, when Zhang Zhuo asked people to report the good news, he didn't mention that he was not in good health, why did he suddenly get seriously ill?

This is not the time to speculate, she can only hide these thoughts in her heart. sent Cui's mother to report the movement in other houses, and she went out of the yard alone. Before she arrived at the second gate, she saw Niu Dang, who had followed Zhang Yue out in the past, waiting in front of the door, and hurriedly stepped forward. The cow over there dared to see her, and hurriedly bowed and saluted.

"The young master asked people to go to the government to ask for leave, and told the young grandmother that if she comes, please go to the west to tell the second lady and the aunt first, and you don't have to go directly to the study."

Hearing this, Du Juan was stunned for a moment, and then nodded. When Amber and Mother Cui chased after Amber Inside, she told Mother Cui and Amber to stay, and she took Autumn Mark to the West Courtyard by herself. Along the way, Qiu Zhen was worried, but there were one terrifying thoughts in her mind, from the epidemic to external injuries, and finally her heart suddenly jumped.

In the study, Gao Quan, the main owner who came to report the news, was not there. Zhang Yue, who was originally full of anxiety and nervousness, sat on the chair behind the desk, his fingers unconsciously knocked on the desk in front of him, and it took a long time to breathe a long sigh of relief.

It turned out that it was the Son of Heaven who was seriously ill, not his father, which was really relieved news. For him, as a son of man, his father is the most important, he and Zhu Gaochi have no relatives and no reason, and whether this son of heaven is dead or alive has nothing to do with him. For him, who has been calculating Zhu Gaochi's days, this so-called shocking news is not too shocking. It's just that if he wants his father to make this move, I'm afraid it was Zhang Fu's instructions.

"Father-in-law Lu, the queen mother asked you to come to me to report the news, so that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has also gotten the news there?"

Hurry up all the way, the more than 1,000-mile journey from the capital to Nanjing only took four days, and Lu Qian only felt paralyzed and sleepy at this moment. At this time, drinking bitter and hot strong tea, he squinted his eyes vigorously, and then said, "That's right, Haishou should have arrived in the East Palace by this time." The queen mother entrusted the matter to the British princess, which shows that she can still trust you Xiao Zhang. After all, Nanjing is far from the capital, Shandong and Henan are close to the capital, and His Royal Highness King Zhao may have just arrived in Zhangde at this time. If the prince's departure can't be covered up, I'm afraid that the road will not be smooth. ”

He glanced at Gao Quan, who looked like a wooden man, and sighed again and said, "Our family left early, and the news in the capital can probably be concealed for three or four days, but if there are more, it will not be done." Lord Zhang, you can hurry up, the news is estimated to have spread out of the capital at this time. Although there is a queen in the capital, after all, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not there. If the prince is lost, it will be a big mess. ”

"Okay, Grandpa Zhang, don't worry, I know it in my heart."

Zhang Yue stood up and thought as he paced. Previously, in order to avoid suspicion, Zhu Zhanji had never summoned him to the palace, but since he saw Zhu Zhanji in Chaotian Palace that time, that Cao Jixiang would come over every day to ask for some news inside and out. Because that guy is not a figure with a head and a face in the palace, he looks featureless, his dress is inconspicuous, and he has never attracted much attention when he goes in and out. But this time such a big thing happened, I am afraid that the person who announced the call is coming.

Just as he was calculating the pros and cons of the route repeatedly, there was a sudden knock on the door of the study, followed by Zhang Bu's voice: "Young master, Gonggong Huang is here outside, saying that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sent him over!" ”

Hearing this, Zhang Yue's heart sank, and he immediately glanced at Zhang Qian, and then stepped forward to open the door. Seeing Huang Run and Cao Jixiang standing behind Zhang Bu, the former smiled when he saw him, and the latter blindly lowered his head. As soon as his mind moved, he sighed, arched his hand to Huang Run, and said, "Huang Gonggong forgives the sin, I just got a letter early in the morning that my father is seriously ill, and my mind is in turmoil at this time, I'm afraid I have to ask you to wait for a while." ”

"It's okay, the prince just got a few good paintings and calligraphy by chance, and he wants to bring them to Lord Zhang for appreciation."

Huang Run said in his mouth, but in his heart he thought that this excuse was really clumsy. Only at this time, he saw Zhang Yue Heng at the door of the study, and he had no intention of inviting him in, he suddenly remembered that when Haishou reported the news before, he said that there were still people who came to Zhang Yue to report the news, and hurriedly turned his head to Cao Jixiang and shouted: "Don't get in the way here, go to the concierge to take care of the horse, here I talk to Lord Xiao Zhang!" ”

Seeing that Huang Run sent Cao Jixiang away, Zhang Yue raised his hand and invited people to the study. As soon as he entered the door, Huang Run saw Lu Feng dressed in a green coat and hat at a glance, and couldn't help but be startled, and then he breathed a long sigh of relief: "It turns out that Father-in-law Lu is here, even so, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can rest assured when he sets off on the road." ”

Although Huang Run's words are very heart-wrenching, Lu Feng is really embarrassed, and with such a heavy thing in his heart, he really doesn't dare to make any guarantees, let alone take the matter on his body: "Huang Gonggong, don't put gold on my face, although our family is in charge of the East Factory, but the Jinyi Wei here in Nanjing can not be directed." In addition, Jinyiwei is in a mess because of the things in front of him, and now he has no clue, so our family is just a messenger. ”

Just a messenger? If you really want a messenger, do you need to send you, the governor of Dongchang, to come in person?

Huang Run scolded in his heart, but his face was not easy to show, so he simply turned his gaze to Zhang Yue, because he asked: "Lord Xiao Zhang, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in a hurry now." Although the mausoleum has been completed, after all, the emperor has issued an edict before, asking His Royal Highness to temporarily guard Nanjing. Moreover, if this is gone, it will be difficult for the rest of the accompanying civil and military affairs to be done after all, and there will be so many honor guards. If you only lead the vanguard of the government army, you can only select cavalry, but these cavalry are not much together, and you are afraid of ...... on the road That's not peaceful. ”

Huang Run almost blurted out that he was robbed and killed on the road, but it was easy to change his words, and he sighed even more: "It's on the canal, the movement of finding ships in a hurry is too big to mention for the time being, and these three or five merchant ships are really conspicuous, and the waterway is too slow." Moreover, all the waterways and land routes must pass through Shandong, which cannot be avoided or avoided! ”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sent Huang Gonggong over to you, but do you have any other orders?"

"Your Highness just asked our family to ask your idea, if you can't think of a good way for a while, I will invite you to the palace."

Although Zhang Yue had some cases, this was not something he could decide after all, so he immediately stood up: "In this case, I will change into an official robe, and I will enter the palace." Since my father is 'seriously ill', I can only ask His Highness for a leave of absence. As he spoke, he turned back to Lu Feng and said, "Father-in-law Lu, after all, you often come to my house, and there are too many people who know you, I'm afraid you will be wronged to hide in my house for a while, or will you go to meet Gonggong Zheng and Gonggong?" ”

Although Lu Feng is Zhang Qian's apprentice, his temperament is completely different from Zhang Qian, and he can't talk to Zheng He and Wang Jinghong. Hearing Zhang Yue say this at this time, he almost didn't think about it and hurriedly replied: "Running around leaked the news, our family is waiting for you here." Anyway, it's not out of this house. ”

After receiving such an answer, Zhang Yue no longer hesitated, nodded to Huang Run, and went to the door to tell Zhang Bu to take a good look at the study and hurriedly go back to change clothes. Because Du Juan and Zhang Yi and Sun Han rushed over, he didn't say much, only said that his father was seriously ill, and since the prince was summoned at this time, he just tried to take a leave and return to Beijing. Seeing Zhang Yi's worried face, Sun Han was trying to comfort her there, and Qiu Zhen was sobbing in a low voice next to Amber, so he glanced at Du Juan, and only said that Gao Quan was tired from the road, and he had already let him rest at this time. After changing into a plain gauze official robe, he went out, and after finding Hu Qi, he sent him to report the news first.

Nanjing's six departments and five mansions, Zhan Shifu, Hanlin Yuan, and other yamen are all crowded in front of the imperial city, between the east and west Chang'an Avenue and Chongli Street. At this time, it was already two o'clock in the morning, and as soon as Zhang Yue and the others arrived here, they saw several officials wearing official uniforms shuttling between the yamen, and there were also officials waiting to meet in front of the right gate of Chang'an at the end of West Chang'an Street. He had Huang Run to lead the way, so naturally he didn't have to stand there anxiously and wait, and directly entered the left gate of Chang'an, which made many people envious.

waited until he entered the south study of Duanjing Hall that Huang Run, who had been with him all the way, retreated. In addition to the tall bookshelves, tables and chairs in the huge study, there were only two people, him and Zhu Zhanji, and the atmosphere in the room was a little stiff. After a long time, Zhu Zhanji suddenly slapped the table hard, then lowered his shoulders, and actually muttered to himself.

"If I had known that, I shouldn't have dragged my feet on the way here...... If I don't delay, I may not be on the way back to Beijing, my father is a stubborn person, and he will not change his mind...... Damn, didn't the people in the Tai Hospital have the slightest notice in advance, so they have to drag it to this point? Last time, I didn't make it to see the emperor's grandfather for the last time, as a son of man, if I ...... this time"

Seeing Zhu Zhanji's irrepressible excitement, Zhang Yue couldn't help but think of the scene when he first learned that Zhang Zhuo was seriously ill in the morning. After all, Zhu Zhanji is not the Zhu Gaochi of the year, this prince and his father share weal and woe a lot, and there is little time to guard against secret fighting, and the father and son have not become like a monarch and minister to Dabin after all. It was useless to persuade him at this moment, and he thought of the shock and distraction he had when he first learned of the "bad news", so he said: "Actually, this morning's messenger came under the pretext that his father was seriously ill, and at that time the minister only felt that the sky was falling. His Royal Highness and the emperor have a deep father-son relationship, and naturally this is even more so. ”

Although Zhu Zhanji was emotional, his years of qi cultivation quickly gained the upper hand, and when he heard Zhang Yue's words, he had already woken up to his mother's intentions. The British Gong Zhang was in charge of the military power of the Beijing Division, and at this time, he only sent someone to inform Zhang Yue, not only because he and Zhang Yue had a relationship in the old days, but also out of consideration for the Zhang family. After completely calming down, he took a deep breath, and then asked in a deep voice: "Since the queen mother has let you know, I finally have someone to discuss." Now I have to rush back as soon as possible, but I don't want to alarm the entourage and others for the time being, so as not to leak the news. What's your best idea? ”

"The solution is secondary, first of all, the transfer and appointment of personnel." Zhang Yue paused slightly, and when he saw Zhu Zhanji listening attentively, he continued, "The minister's opinion is that Lord Huang stays, and with him and Zhao Shangshu here, it is enough to block most troubles, and it can also contain Liu Guan." It's not that the minister blames others behind his back, but the minister has always suspected that he has something to do with the pioneer Princess Yongping. Let Fengcheng Marquis and a few others take Wei Zhiqi to rectify the avant-garde of the government army, pack up and set off, he is an old man in the avant-garde of the government army, so it is most suitable for him to prepare. In addition, it would be great if the brocade clothes could move with it. As for the local nobles such as Nanjing Mu Garrison, let them send out some family members and so on, and escort the ministers to the north to visit their fathers, and His Royal Highness might as well take this opportunity to walk with the ministers. ”

Zhu Zhanji couldn't hear the meaning of these words, and his brows couldn't help frowning. If he brought the army of the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs, it would take at least ten days and half a month on the way, however, if he mixed into Zhang Yue's entourage and rushed back together, then he would definitely be able to reach the capital quietly and in the fastest time. It's just that why did Zhang Yue want Mu Xin and others to seconded the family? Could it be that he wanted to tie these Nanjing nobles to his boat?

At this time, Zhang Yue spoke again: "As we all know, there are two roads from Nanjing to Beijing, the canal and the waterway and the official road, but these two roads need to pass through Shandong. According to the Han King's means, I am afraid that the military attaches in Shandong and other places have been almost bought by him. So even if you have to go, you have to think carefully about the route.

In addition, there are other people do not pay much attention to the sea route, starting from Taicang along the coast slowly, until Tianjin disembarks, this way to the capital, you can avoid Shandong. Now the sea monsoon is just right, and fortunately, the next time the officers and troops are there, Taicang's ship has to be repaired a lot, and if you want to go, you can sail at any time. However, the sea ship is too slow, and it is also afraid of encountering wind and waves and reefs, so it may not be suitable for traveling. ”